This invention relates generally to gas turbine engines, more particularly to combustors used with gas turbine engines.
Known turbine engines include a compressor for compressing air which is suitably mixed with a fuel and channeled to a combustor wherein the mixture is ignited within a combustion chamber for generating hot combustion gases. More specifically, at least some known combustors include a dome assembly that channels airflow downstream and circumferentially around each fuel injector. More specifically, at least some known dome assemblies include a swirler assembly that extends upstream from a domeplate, and a baffle that extends downstream from the domeplate and into the combustion chamber.
Within recuperated gas turbine engines, the combustion chamber is defined by multi-holed inner and outer liners that are coupled to the domeplate. The cooling performance of the liners is enhanced by the use of a film cooling starter slot that is defined within the domeplate and is in flow communication with at least one opening extending through the domeplate. The film cooling starter slot channel cooling air exiting the domeplate openings downstream to provide film cooling of an inner surface of the inner and outer liners. Although the film cooling starter slots facilitate changing the direction of the cooling air to facilitate provide film cooling of the inner and outer liners, during certain operational conditions, the configuration of such slots may also enable fuel injected into the combustor to enter the slots. Moreover, the shape of the film cooling slots may also make such slots susceptible to flameholding, which over time, may shorten the useful life of the combustor liners.